Bookworm is officially retired. I hope you’ll join me at my new blog, On the Curve. I’m excited about the move and I look forward to seeing you there!
Author Archives: Julie
Nice work if you can get it
January 15, 2009 – 8:47 am
Since I’m not doing the school newsletter any more I figured I ought to volunteer for something at the kids’ school because, you know, an extra supply of brownie points never hurts. Not wanting to overextend myself, I chose to do this lunchtime enrichment thing where, during the cold winter months, parents run small activity groups as an alternative to the post-lunch recess. Half an hour a week for six weeks? Sure, I can do that! Typical activities are arts & crafts, board games, science, origami, knitting, yoga… whatever parents are interested in. Well, you know what I’m interested in — I offered to do “quiet reading.” Ha ha! Nine fourth-grade girls (including Lena, of course) signed up.
“A creature designed for reading”
December 23, 2008 – 9:08 am
Did you see Caitlin Flanagan’s article about Twilight in this month’s Atlantic?
I’ve been reading The Atlantic for several years now, but I didn’t know I had much in common with Flanagan until she confessed that she hates YA novels because they “bore” her. Well, me too. Ok, yes, there are a few that I’ve been reading and rereading since childhood. But in terms of picking up new ones, now, as an adult, that I didn’t first read as a kid… nope. Can’t do it. Am hard pressed to think of any kids’ books I’ve enjoyed as an adult. Oh, The Lightning Thief! I did like that one. And the first Children of the Lamp book wasn’t bad either. But I couldn’t finish Inkheart even when my own son gave it to me as a gift. Harry Potter? No thanks. And in fact (here’s where Caitlin and I disagree) I didn’t even particularly like Twilight. Oh, it held my interest enough that I did manage to finish it, but… meh.
In which Bookworm attempts to interpret a poem
December 4, 2008 – 8:40 am
Y’all seemed to enjoy my “liveblogging” of Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, so here’s something similar. Follow along, if you can, as I reveal the labyrinthine thought processes of a totally clueless poetry reader (i.e., me).
Read more on In which Bookworm attempts to interpret a poem…
Liveblogging CCM
November 23, 2008 – 9:51 am
I think it was for a Weekly Geeks thing, way back, that someone said about me “she only writes when she has something to say.” At the time I took it as an enormous compliment. I mean, really! But now I’m wondering if the blogger was simply trying to say nicely that I’m one of those erratic people who won’t stick to a schedule and is sometimes absent from the blogosphere for months at a time with no explanation.
Jump at the Sun, by Kim McLarin
November 7, 2008 – 10:54 am
You know those books where the character you’re rooting for makes a bad decision and you just want to jump into the book and shake them by the shoulders and point out their folly? This book was kind of like that, except I wanted to jump into the book and hug the main character and tell her: it’s okay, you’re not the only person who feels that way and it will get better, I promise.
Whew!
November 7, 2008 – 8:24 am
At last, the election is over and I can get back to normal life again. Honestly, those last few weeks reminded me of late-stage pregnancy: thinking of nothing but that slowly approaching date, the mixture of dread and excitement, the utter inability to focus on anything else… Yes, I am thrilled with the results (except Prop 8 in California) but even if it had god forbid gone the other way I would still, at least, be glad that the damn thing was finally OVER.
